Report: Diamondbacks interested in Gallardo, Samardzija

It’s no secret that the Arizona Diamondbacks’ starting rotation has been problematic this season, and the idea that the team would be looking to upgrade there would come as no surprise.

However, while fellow NL West rivals appear to be interested in Miami Marlins righty Ricky Nolasco, Fox Sports’ Ken Rosenthal says the guys Arizona is interested in are Milwaukee’s Yovani Gallardo and Chicago’s Jeff Samardzija.

Gallardo, Rosenthal notes, is available, but he says acquiring Samardzija would require an “overwhelming” package.

The Diamondbacks entered Thursday ranked 11th in the NL with a 4.17 rotation ERA. Their best pitcher, left-hander Patrick Corbin, is in his first full season. The addition of a top-of-the-rotation starter would significantly enhance the team’s chances in the hotly contested NL West.

The D-Backs, though, aren’t prepared to move on any pitcher just yet.

Gallardo, 27, is currently sporting a 4.20 ERA to go along with a 6-7 record, but has for a while been one of the National League’s better hurlers.

Samardzija, on the other hand, is carrying a 3.39 ERA with his 5-7 record. The 28-year-old has struck out 115 batters in 106.1 innings, and appears to be emerging as a force on the mound.

Of course, the Diamondbacks are not the only team that would like to acquire Samardzija. At this point, the price for the pitcher almost certainly would be prohibitive, and teams know it. The Cubs, according to one source, have not even received any “hits” on Samardzija.

The Diamondbacks, though, are deep enough in prospects — pitchers, outfielders, left-side infielders — to pull off a blockbuster for a top-of-the-rotation starter.